Many dispensing lids have been developed for the dispensing of contents within containers or canisters. Such dispensing lids may require that consumers reach into an opening in the surface of the lid in order to retrieve a towel or towelette within the container.
This particular method of towel retrieval poses certain problems. Particularly, when the consumer retrieves a subsequent towel, the consumer must repeat the task of extending his fingers through the opening in the surface of the dispensing lid. The task becomes increasingly difficult as the container empties, because the top-most towel is progressively positioned at a lower point within the container.
Furthermore, an opening in the dispensing lid that facilitates such retrieval can lead to evaporation of the moisture on the towels within the container.
The prior art discloses proposed solutions to this problem. Some of the proposed solutions permit a portion of the subsequent towel or towelette to protrude through the opening. For example, Margulies, U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,507 has proposed a opening which has two portions, a slit portion and a larger second portion. The dispensing cap has a lid, also comprised of two parts. The second portion of the lid is flexibly connected to the first portion. As the first portion of the lid is depressed, the second portion pivots away, uncovering the slit. The first portion still covers the larger opening; but, the second, larger portion moves away from the opening to allow the fingers to retrieve subsequent towels.
However, a portion of the towel protrudes through the opening. This impedes the ability to close and seal the container. In other words, if a portion of the towel is allowed to protrude through the opening, the consumer cannot effectively close the opening and, thus, cannot protect the exposed towel or towelette.
Protecting the towel can be of particular importance if the towels must remain sanitary, or if the towels are medicated or otherwise pre-moistened.
Furthermore, it is desirable that the container maintain a closed position when towels are not being dispensed from the container.
One prior dispensing lid addressed some of the problems presented by Magulies. In particular, the prior configuration addressed the problem of providing a way by which a onsumer could easily retrieve pre-moistened towels from a container. The prior dispensing lid included a recess within the top surface forming a reservoir extending downwardly from the recess, whereby the reservoir included an opening in the reservoir floor for access to the contents of the container. The dispensing lid configuration further included a flexible arm member with a closing member formed at the distal end which sealed the reservoir. A portion of the flexible arm formed a loop member protruding away from the body. The prior dispensing lid configuration also included a single projection extending from a flexible arm member and a corresponding aperture on the top surface of the lid to frictionally receive the projection.
While this container enjoyed a reasonable amount of success, it presented yet another problem. When used by a consumer, this dispensing lid failed to adequately seal the container. Particularly, when the loop member was employed for carrying the container, the single protruding member could not withstand the forces applied. Consequently, the lid could not maintain a closed position.
The present invention is provided as an improvement on the prior dispensing lids, to solve these and other problems and to provide other advantages. A preferred embodiment will be disclosed and the novel aspects of the present invention will be identified and discussed.